Match-making machinery.



No. 616,623. PATENTBD APR. 3, 1906.

A B. G. VAUGHAN. MATCH MAKING MACHINERY.

APPLIIIATION FILED AUG.4. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED APB.. 3, 190.6.

B. G. VAUGHAN. MATCH MAKING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

/za l'@/z fr I i UQ@ B. G. VAUGHAN.

MATCH MAKING MACHINERY. APPLIoATIoN FILED AUG. 4, 1904.

A PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

s SHEETS-SHEET a.

,11. 'Fill 7 /mmmgy l y `/fwehgaf QQ "eqog Y Sw nnrrnn srarns Parana orrrcn BERNARD G. VAUGHAN, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO FRED BENNITT AND ONE-THIRD TO LOUIS A. SHERWOOD, BOTH OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed August 4, 1904. Serial No. 219,562.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BERNARD G. VAUGHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Joliet, fill county, Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Match-Making Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to match-making machinery, and especially to that branch of the art comprising the setting devices for placing the match-sticks in the plates or carriers preparatory to the process of di ping. It also includes the hopper feed mec anism, whereby the sticks are fed to the setting-head, both mechanisms being actuated by the same devices and in my linvention parts of each being essential parts of the other, all going to' make up the process of setting.

The objects of my invention are to provide a satisfactory means of discharging the broken pieces and short sticks during the actual movement of the machine; to secure a practically continuous movement of the setting-head, the only stop being the substantially instantaneous one at the instant of reversing the motion, thus enabling the machine to be satisfactoril run at a high rate of speed; to provide a folfower for the settinghead which shall materially `aid in theviilling of the setting-head and in the discharge of broken sticks; to provide a setting-head into which the sticks are :filled and from which they are directly set and which shall be the actuating power for the agitating-hopper, and to reduce the number of parts, thus providing a machine of great simplicit and high efficiency. I attain these objects by the use of the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, which are hereby made a part of the specification, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section on the line :r :1; of Fig. l, showing the filling position. Fig. 4 isthe same, showing the setting position. Fig. 5 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a top view of the head and agitation mechanism, partly in section, on the line z z of Fig. 1.

In the drawings like letters indicate like arts.

The bed-frame of the machine `A maybe the usual cast frame used on ma :hines of'. this l type, supported in any manner by legs or braces.V Upon this 'is a loading-hopper B, which is stationary and supported by brack ets C above the frame A. On either side of the frame A is a slideplate D, bolted or secured to the frame by suitable means, such as the bolts D. This slide-plate may be provided with a` groove D on its inner face,

forming with the top of the frame A a slide for the head E and itsfollowerF. This slidebearing may be of any convenient shape, that shown in the drawings being most convenient and simple.

On the head Eis a lug E, to which is attached the actuating mechanism for the head and follower, indicatedin the drawings by the itman G. Any suitable means may be use however, for producing the motion of the head. In the rear end of the head E is secured one or more rods H, which pass freely through the follower F and terminate in' a boss H. I prefer to have one of these rods at each end of the head; but it may be necessary to have one in the middle, and it may be practicable to operate the head with one. The rod His encircled by a spiral spring H, which is always' compressed in anyl osition 'of the head or follower between the ollower F and the boss H The follower F is of the plate D. In the surface of the head E and the follower F are grooves K, continuous across the entire top of both headV and follower. The follower is adapted to fit closely to the head when in contact therewith, so that the grooves K are smooth and continuous. These grooves are preferably square, as my machine is best ada ted for square sticks, and in the follower an up to theline K in the head these grooves are less than the thickness of a match-stick in dept-h, preferably one-half the thickness thereo In front of the line K the grooves are more than the thickness of a match-stick in depth, preferably one and one-half times thereof, so that a stickl ing in this part of the grooves will be entire y below the bottom of the shallower arts. On the follower F is a lug F', which 1s adapted to contact with a stop A,which may be conveniently a part of the frame A. The follower, as shown in the drawin s, is a roximately onethird of Ithe widt of t e ead, the top portion being approximately same length as the head E and slides in the roo one-third of the Width of the body; but these dimensions are not arbitrary and may be varied. v

The deep grooves K in the head E are less in length than a match-stick, so that when a stick hes iii them it will project from the front of the head. The loading-hop er Bis, as I have shown, stationary; but the lling-hopper L, which fits closely below it, is movable in a direction across and at right angles to the motion of the head E. It is held 1n osition by guides L', which pass through slol)s C in the bases of the brackets C. These guides L also serve to support the hopper L. Both loading and filling ho pers are exactly the len th of a match-Stic in Widthandvextend sligIitly beyond the grooves K at eitheriend. The filling-hopper L is provided with partitions L to prevent massing of the sticks and also to prevent their being turned in the agitating motion. These partitions may stop short of the bottom level of the hopper in order to revent the sticks being caught between t e partitions and the head and clogging the machinery.

On one of the uides L is placed the agitating connection etween the hopper and ,the head. This may be at both ends; but I believe that it will operate satisfactorily from one end. This mechanism consists of the roller M, attached to the lower side of the slide L by a bolt or screw M. The portion of the head E coming under this slide-is cut out to admit of the attachment thereto of a plate N, having therein a curved slot N. This slot could be constructed in the head itself by a slightly-different arrangement of parts; but I prefer to attach the plate as shown, as it secures a lighter adjustment. The curved slot N is just the width of the roll-er M, which rests therein, the uide L fitting closely to the top of the plate The lengt of the axis of the slot N 1s equal to the stroke of the head E when in operation, and the filling-hopperL slides just free of the surfaces of the head and follower.

The o eration of my device is as follows: The loa ing-hopper B is filled with matchsticks, being just large enough in width, as I have said, to accommodate one row of sticks. The sticks of course fill up the filling-hopper L between its partitions at the same time and sinking evenly down. The head and follower being in the position shown in Fig. 3 fill the deep grooves K in the head and pro- 'ect over the front of the head. VThe heady eing then sent forward into the position shown in Fig. 4, the sticks in the deep rooves in-Fig. 4.) When the match-sticks in the' deep grooves are set, the head returns, the follower remaining in position until caught by the head and forced back, when the sticks which have been supported by the head and follower slide into the deep grooves and the action is repeated. It is needless to say that this simple motion is performed with great rapidity. Theoretically this operation can be performed just as above described; but in practice it cannot. The pressure ofthe matchsticks in the hoppers would fill the grooves were it not for the friction of the sticks,which causes them to stick and clog. It is necessary, therefore, in order to have the setting and filling device complete to shake the sticks down constantly. This is accomlished by means of the slot N and the roller M, the latter accommodating itself to the motion of the plate N below it, the plateN moving forward and back in a line parallel with the line of motion of the head E to which it is attached, while the roller M in the slot N is forced to follow the sinuosities of the slot, and being attached to the hopper L by the pivot M the hopper L is ke t in constant agitationin a direction at ri t angles with the motion of the head E. his agitation effectually shakes out the broken pieces when the head and follower are separated. I am aware that in other machines this cross-agitation is produced by other means, usually a cylindercam on the outside of the frame; but in my invention the motion is accomplished with less friction and less power.

By having the sticks set into the plate by IOO the head which first receives them I avoid all danger of splitting sticks by transference from a filler to a setter, and I also give a more ample space for the disposal of broken sticks.

As modifications of my invention may su gest themselves to one skilled in the art, I o not confine myself to the exact construction set forth in this specification; but- What I claim, and desire to secure Letters Patent for, is the following: l

1. In a machine of the class' described, in combination, a bed-frame, a setting-head slidably mounted in said frame and zhaving ooves on its upper surface, said grooves bemor of greater de th at one end than at the other, and a fol ower slidably mounted in said frame having on its u per surface grooves continuous with the sha low portion of the grooves in said head and of the same depth as said shallow grooves, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a bed-frame, a loading-hopper IIO sieaa mounted above said `frame, a filling-hopper' immediately beneath said loading-hopper and loadable therefrom and adapted to move across said frame, a splint-setting head adapted to'move forward and back in said frame, said` head being immediatelybelow said filling-hop er and fillable therefrom, and a pivoted rol er M upon said fillin -hop er engaging with a curved slot on sai head), substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, in

combination, a frame, a filling-hopper slid-A ably mounted on said frame, agrooveds lintsetting head slidably mounted on said ame and below said hopper, means for moving said head, and an actuating connection between said head and said hopper comprising a curved slot on said head engaging with a pivot on said hopper, said actuating connection being unconnected with said frame, Substantially as described.

4. ina machine of the class described, in combination, a frame, a loading-hopper thereon, a filling-hopper slidable on said frame and forming a continuation of said loading-hopper, a splint-setting head having grooves' on its upper surface, adapted to reciprocate on said frame and adapted to be lled .by said iilling-hopper, actuating means for said head, and a pivotal actuating connection between said head and said iilling-hopper comprising a curved slot on said head enga ing with a pivot on said hopper substantia y as described.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD avAUeHAN.

Witnesses:

L. A. SHERwooD, JOHN H. GARNSEY. 

